Container construction



Feb. 14, 1967 w, TAYLOR 3,303,958

CONTAINER CONS TRUGTION Filed Dec. 23, 1963 "I "I I INVENTOR- /5 W/lL/AM [pm/e0 77mm United States Patent 3,303,958 CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION William Edward Taylor, Fairfield, Conn., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 332,362 3 Claims. (Cl. 22054) This invention relates to easy open containers, and has particular reference to a container end which is formed with a folded, multi-layered section which is so located relative to the periphery of a scored removable section in the end that it shields the raw edge which is produced when the container is opened.

In line with the recent trend toward consumer convenience features which has arisen in all fields of merchandising, the can manufacturing industry has placed great emphasis on the development of easy open containers wherein a manually removable section is incorporated in the countersink center panel of the top end member. In many of these constructions, the removable section is defined by a score line which, when ruptured during the opening operation, produces a raw edge which remains on the container for the duration of its useful life. This raw edge frequently is objectionable in that it has a tendency to cut the hand of the consumer, particularly if the latter must repeatedly insert his hand into the container to reach its contents.

The present invention solves this problem by providing a multi-layered fold in the container end which is so located relative to the periphery of the scored removable section that the raw edge which is produced upon opening the container is positioned in vertical alignment with the fold so that it lies closely adjacent one of the fold layers and is thus effectively shielded, thereby substantially eliminating its potential cutting hazard.

An object of the invention, therefore, is the provision of a scored easy open container end which is constructed to prevent injury to the hand of the consumer after the end has been opened.

A further object is the provision of such a container end wherein the raw edge which is produced when the container is opened is effectively shielded by an adjacent folded portion of the end.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a prefer-red embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a container embodying the principles of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2, parts being broken away;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the container after it has been opened by removal of its scored removable section; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 4, but showing a modified form of the invention.

As a preferred and exemplary embodiment of the instant invention, FIGS. 1 to 4 illustrate a container formed with a tubular cylindrical body 12 having its lower end closed by means of a bottom end member 14 which is secured thereto in a conventional double seam 16.

The upper end of the body 12 is closed by means of a top end member 18 which is formed with a center panel 20 which is set into the upper end of the body 12. The top end member 18 and the body 12 are secured together in any suitable manner, such as by a conventional double seam 22 which includes as its innermost layer an annular countersink wall 24 which comprises a portion of the end member 18 and merges into the upper layer 26 of an inwardly extending annular flat fold 28 which overlies the marginal edge portion 30 of the center panel 20. The lower layer 32 of the fold 28 lies in intimate contact with the marginal edge portion 30 of the panel 20 and is connected thereto at its outer edge.

The end member 18 is preferably made of an easily tearable metal such as aluminum or an aluminum alloy. In order to provide for manual opening of the container, a tear strip 34 is formed in the center panel 20, the tear strip 34 being defined by a pair of spaced scores 36, 38 which are indented into the upper surface of the center panel 20.

The tear strip 34 is formed with a short curved lead-in section 40 which has a closed inner end 41 wherein the scores 36, 38 meet, and which extends from a central portion of the center panel 20 to its peripheral portion and merges into a circular tear strip section 42 which extends around the peripheral portion of the panel 20. The outer score 36 of the circular tear strip section 42 is formed in the marginal edge portion 30 of the center panel 20 immediately adjacent the inner edge of the fold 28, as best seen in FIG. 3. This portion of the score 36 extends for 360 degrees and thus defines and encloses a removable section 44 of the panel 20 which comprises all of the portion of the panel 20 disposed inwardly of the score 36. The inner score 38 preferably terminates short of the tear strip section 40 to prevent separation of the tear strip 34 from the balance of the removable section 44 during the opening operation.

To provide for removal of the tear strip 34, a metal lift tab 46 is secured to the inner end of the lead-in section 40 of the tear strip 34 by an upwardly drawn rivet 48 which is formed integral with the tear strip section 40 and extends through a hole 50 in the lift tab 46, the upper end of the rivet 48 being flattened and thus expanded outwardly over the portion of the lift tab which sourrounds the hole 50.

The lift tab 46 is formed with reenforcing corrugations 52 which prevent it from bending, and with an upturned free end 54 which permits a finger of the consumer to be inserted beneath the tab 46 to lift it and thus rupture the portions of the scores 36, 38 which surround the rivet 48, thus freeing the end of the tear strip section 40. Thereafter, continued upward pulling of the lift tab 46 results in the tearing out of the curved lead-in tear strip section 40 and the circular tear strip section 42 along the scores 36, 38 and thus produces complete detachment of the removable section 44 from the end member 18.

As seen in FIG. 4, the rupturing of the score 36 produces a raw edge 56. However, because of its location just below the inner edge of the fold 28, the raw edge 56 is shielded by the fold 28, and thus its hazard as a potential cutting element is substantially eliminated.

FIG. 5 discloses a modified form of the invention wherein the fold 28 is disposed beneath the center panel 20. In this version, the outer score 36 of the circular tear strip section 42 is disposed in the marginal portion 30 of the center panel 20 above and in vertical alignment with the fold 28.

Thus, when this version of the container is opened, the raw edge which is created by the rupturing of the score 36 is also shielded by the fold 28 and the danger of having this raw edge out the hand of the consumer is substantially eliminated.

It will be understood that the principles of this invention can be applied to containers wherein the removable sections are of a shape other than the disclosed circular shape; that if desired the scores may be formed in the under surface of the top end member; and that if desired means other than the particular lift tab illustrated herein may be provided to facilitate the opening of the container. It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim: 1. A container end comprising a center panel, said panel being formed integral with and merging into an inwardly extending two-layered horizontally extending fold which is disposed in vertical alignment with and lies flatly against a marginal edge portion of said center panel, said center panel containing a removable section, said removable section being encircled by an outer score which is formed in said marginal edge portion of said center panel in vertical alignment with said fold, an inner score formed in said center panel inwardly of said first score and defining therewith a tear strip 4 which extends around the periphery of said removable section, and means secured to said tear strip to facilitate its removal to thereby release said removable section,

the raw edge which is produced in the said marginal edge portion of said center panel when said outer score is ruptured during removal of said tear strip being shielded by said fold.

2. The container end of claim 1 wherein said fold is disposed above said marginal edge portion of said center panel.

3. The container end of claim 1 wherein said fold is disposed below said marginal edge portion of said center panel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,055,539 9/1962 Pillnik 220-54 3,142,412 7/1964 Blakeslee 22054 3,179,282 4/1965 Baugh 22027 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

G. T. HALL, J. R. GARRETT, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A CONTAINER END COMPRISING A CENTER PANEL, SAID PANEL BEING FORMED INTEGRAL WITH AND MERGING INTO AN INWARDLY EXTENDING TWO-LAYERED HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING FOLD WHICH IS DISPOSED IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH AND LIES FLATLY AGAINST A MARGINAL EDGE PORTION OF SAID CENTER PANEL, SAID CENTER PANEL CONTAINING A REMOVABLE SECTION, SAID REMOVABLE SECTION BEING ENCIRCLED BY AN OUTER SCORE WHICH IS FORMED IN SAID MARGINAL EDGE PORTION OF SAID CENTER PANEL IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID FOLD, AN INNER SCORE FORMED IN SAID CENTER PANEL INWARDLY OF SAID FIRST SCORE AND DEFINING THEREWITH A TEAR STRIP WHICH EXTENDS AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID REMOVABLE SECTION, AND MEANS SECURED TO SAID TEAR STRIP TO FACILITATE ITS REMOVAL TO THEREBY RELEASE SAID REMOVABLE SECTION, THE RAW EDGE WHICH IS PRODUCED IN THE SAID MARGINAL EDGE PORTION OF SAID CENTER PANEL WHEN SAID OUTER SCORE IS RUPTURED DURING REMOVAL OF SAID TEAR STRIP BEING SHIELDED BY SAID FOLD. 